Portable bleacher



Oct. 14, 1930. w. K. EVERSOLE PORTABLE BLEACHER Filed Feb. 23, 1929 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 14, 1930. w. K. EVERSOLE 1,778,067

PORTABLE BLEACHER Filed Feb '23. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Get. 14, 1930 Units i stares PATENT OFFICE MINTER HOMES CORPORATION, OF HUNTINGTON, VJEST VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA PORTABLE BLEAGI-IER Application filed February 23, 1929. Serial No. 342,172.

T his invention relates to portable bleachers or circus seats designed to be erected and removed as occasion may require.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a stand of the bleaeher or circus seat type which may be speedily assembled or dismantled without the use of tools and without injury or loss of material; which is formed of structural elements permitting the dismantled seats to be stored in minimum space, and which, when in use, is well adapted'eiiiciently to resist the live and dead loads imposed upon it. j i A principal feature of the inventionconsists in providing a stand of the character indicated Withinclined stringers with which are associated a series of metal supports for respectively sustaining the seats and footboards, the said supports forming a continuous metal 'reinforcement extending lengthwise of the corresponding stringer and being secured to the latter by a series of bolts, each of which cooperates with a plurality of the said supports.

A further feature of the invention consists in supporting the inclined stringers oi the stand by means oit'horses and in associating therewith purlins which extend under a plurality oi stringers and are supported by said horses.

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing each of the inclined stringers with a toe iron which is slotted to receive a movable link mounted upon a floor or ground plate extending under the stringer, the slot in the toe iron being so formed that the said link serves .to lock the stringer against accidental forward or backward movement.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing means for preventing the seat boards from being accidentally moved from their proper position, the said means being adjustable with respect to theseat board supports and being adapted to cooperate with a single seat board or with a plurality thereof.

Still another feature of the invention consists in supporting the purlins beneath the stringers by means of metal hangers which extend through slots in the supporting horses which also'receive the stringers.

Other features of the invention residing in particular combinations of parts and advantageous features of construction will here:

inafter appear and be pointed out in the 7 claims.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred form of the invention,-

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of portable bleachers embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view oi a portion of the portable bleachers shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective View illustrating the manner of associating the lower ends of the stringers with the bottom plates of the structure. r

Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view showing the relationship or" the supporting horses to the stringers,purlins, bottom plates and the beams which resist backward thrust of the horses.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view showing the preferred manner of supporting the purlins by horses.

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view v showing the relation of one of the seat board anchors to a seat board and its support.

The stru :ture comprises a series of parallel stringers l which are disposed in an inclined position one end of each resting upon a ground or floor plate 2 associated therewith and extending thereunder. The ground plates extend rearwardly from the lower ends of the respective stringers and preferably underlie said stringers throughout their entire length.

The stringers are susta'iled in inclined position by suitable supports which are preferably in the form of horses 3 of triangular shape having downwardly diverging 4 between which the respective ground plates 2 extend. The legs l of the horses may be rigidly secured together in any desired manner but are preferably connected at their upper ends by bolts 5 and are secured intermediate their ends by transverse braces 6. The upper end of each of the horses is provided with a groove or slot 7 for receiving the adjacent stringer 1. To provide means for maintaining the upper ends of the horses in assembled relation to the stringers each of the latter is providedwith pairs of stop members 8 which are spaced longitudinally of the stringers so as to receive the upper so as to maintain the stringers at the desired degree of inclination. 'XVhenset up in as sembled relation to the stringers 1, the horses 3 occupy an upright position, leaning forward at their upper ends and extending at right angles to the stringers.

Each stringer 1 has associated therewith a series of metal supports 9 upon which seat boards 10 rest; and each stringer also has associated therewith a series of metal supports or hangers 11 for sustaining the respective footboards 12. The metal seatand footsupports occur in alternation along each stringerand may advantageously be secured to the stringer with which they are associated by the same series of bolts 18, thus reducing to a minimum the number of bolts for anchoring them to the stringer. As shown in the drawings, the seat board supports 9 and the. footboard supports 11, instead of being-combined in a unitary piece including one or more seat and foot supports, may advantageously be manufactured as-indivi'dual units of general U-form fashioned from square or rectangular metal bars or of steel bands twisted to fit the sides of the stringer. To permit the seat and foot supports to be secured to the stringer 1 by the single series of bolt-s13, the legs of the seat and foot supports are of unequal length and are positioned so as to lie upon opposite sides of the stringer, the ends of successive supports being in overlapping relation and perforated to receive the bolts 13.

The legs of the seat supports'9 preferably extend downward at right angles to the top section of said support, while the legs of the foot supports 11 extend upwardly at an oblique angle to the intervening portion of the support 11 upon which the footboard rests. In order to position the footboard .in the. most advantageous relation to its corresponding seat board, the longer leg of the footboard support 11 is inclined to the vertical to a greater extent than the shorter leg of said support. 7

When secured in place the seat and foot board supports, 9 and 11 respectively, form in effect a continuous band of metal which reinforces the stringer 1 by imparting additional strength and stiffness thereto. By loeating the holes for the bolts 13 along the center line or neutral axis of the stringer 1,

as it is preferred to do, practically the full Y desired, but it is usually suiiicient to employ them at the ends of the seat boards .only. Each of the anchors may be conveniently formed as a metal bar or strap having downwardly ext-ending legs which are slotted, as at 15, to receive the horizontally extending intermediate portion of the seat support 9,

the slots 15 in the legs being of sufficient length to permit the anchor 14 to be adjusted vertically so as to accommodate either one or two seat boards between it and the upper end of the seat support 9 with which it is associated. The depending legs of the member 14, being disposed between the legs of the adjacentseatboard support 9, prevent the seat board from accidentally shifting transversely to an improper position; .and because of the adjustable character of the anchor it projects only slightly above the seat board when in use, whether it embraces two boards or a single board.

Extend ng continuously underthe string ers 1 and at right angles thereto are purlins 16, v 'hic'h may. beof wood or metal .asdesired. These purlins counteract side sway, act as spacers for locating the stringers 1 in erecting, distribute unusual strains or over loads in the event of failure of a hora 3 or any other emergency causing an unusual overload upon a stringer, and generally stiffen the structure throughout. The purline are held in position by metal hangers 17 (see Fi 5) whichhook through the stringer receiving slots 7 in the upper ends of the respective horses. As the stringers rest upon the p urlin hangers or hooks '17, the weight of the stringers and the load upon them holds these hangers securely in place, the greater the load the more securely they are held. Each of the purlin hangers is preferably formed as a-ho'ok member having at its lower end :a rearwardly extending flange or shelf portion 18 which extends under and engages the purlin, and having at its upper end a down turned lip 19 which projects over the forward face of the horse with which it is associated, so as to prevent it from shifting rearwardly with respect to the horse. The purlin supports or' hangers 17 are spaced along the purlins for distances corresponding to the desired spacing of the stringers. Eachhanger is associated with its purlin so as to occupy a fixed position with respect thereto when the structure is assembled, bolts 20 which pass through the purlins l6 and the hangers 17 being preferably employed for that purpose.

To prevent displacement of, the horses 3 and to counteract forward thrust in the bot: tom'orgroundplates 2, metal anchors 21 are secured at appropriate intervals to the respective plates 2. 'The'members 21' are preferably in the form of a loop fashioned from a metal strap or bar and are rigidly secured to the plates by bolts 22. Beams 23 which extend through the loops of the anchors 21 so as to engage the rearsides of the legs t of the horses serve to prevent displacement or any spreading of the horses-at their lower bearing plate at which is rigidly secured to the underlying floor plate 2 by means of suitable bolts. 7 This bearing plate preferably maintains in assembled relation to the ground plate 2 a pivoted latch or link 25 which servesto detachably lock the adjacent stringer 1 to the underlying ground plate 2. For cooperatingwith the link 25 to lock the stringer in place, each stringer l is formed atits forward end with a slot 26 adapted to receive the freelend oft-he pivoted latch or locking link 25. Fhe slot26 isof angular or shouldered form, its upper part being preferably horizontal and opening outwardly through the end face of the stringer and its lower portion preferably extending vertically and then forwardly so as to provides shoulder 27 for cooperating withthe free end of the link 25. To strengthen the construction and prevent injury to the stringer, the forward end of the stringer is reinforced on opposite sides by metal plates 28 secured in place by bolts 29 which pass through the stringer. Each of these plates is of an appropriateshape to form the slot 26. lvhen the movable link 25 is in assembled position in the-slot 26 of the stringer it locks the stringer against any forward or backward movement, while the stringer or bleacher dead load together with the imposed by which the member 2a is secured to the ground plate 2; l In disassembling the stringer from its underlying ground plate 2, the stringer is shifted rearwardly and the free end of the locking link 25 is elevated until the link escapes from the slot/26 of the stringer.

While it is "intended that wood shall be largely enriployed in the construction of portable circus seats or bleachers constructed in accordance w th the invention, it to be understood that the parts may be formed of other material if desired.

I claim:

1. Portable bleachers comprising a plurality of-stringers, means for supporting said stringers in an inclined position, and a plurality of purlins carried by said means, each of said purlins extending transversely with respect to said stringers and overlapping a plurality of the latter and being provided with hangers disposed immediately below the respective stringers, said hangers engaging and being supported by said means for supporting said stringers.

2. Portable bleachers comprising a plurality of stringers, horses for supporting said stringers in inclined position,and a plurality of purlins each extending under a plurality of said stringers, said purlins being provided with means extending between said horses 3. Portable bleachers comprising a plurality'of stringers, a plurality of horses for sup porting said stringers, each of said horses be ing provided at its upper end with a slot for receiving one of said stringers, a plurality of purlins each extending under a plurality of said stringers, and hangers for supporting said purlins, each of said hangers extending into the slot of one of said horses in interposed relation to the said horse and adjacent stringer.

4. Portable bleachers comprising a plurality ofstringers, a plurality of horses for supporting said stringers, each of said horses having a recess for receiving one of said stringers, a plurality of purlins disposed immediately beneath said stringers and extend ing under a plurality of the latter, and hangers for supporting said purlins irom said horses, each of said hangers being rigidly secured to a purlin and extending into the stringer receiving recess of an adjacent horse and having a depending lip overlapping said horse.

5. Portable bleachers comprising a plurality of stringers, means for supporting said stringers in an inclined position, a plurality of seat boards, supporting means for the seat boards, a plurality of footboards, supporting means for the footboards, said seat board supports and said footboard supports being associated with the respective stringers and forming a continuous reinforcement therefor,

and means'for securing said seat board supstringers in an inclined position, a plurality of seat boards, a plurality of supports for board support.

to an adjacent stringer. r

7. Portable bleachers comprising a pluraltry of stringers, means for supporting said stringers in an inclined positiomla pluli o-fsea-t boards, a plurality of seat board sup ports, a plurality of foo'tboards, a plurality of footboard supports, said seat board supports and said footboard supports each be-- ing provided with a plurality of legs of unequal length which overlap an adjacent stringer, and bolts for securing said seat board supports and said footboard supports to the adj-acentstringer, each of said bolts extending through one of the legsof a seat board support and one of the legs of a foot- 8. Portable bleachers comprising a plurality of stringers, means for supporting ,lli stringers in an inclined position, a plu ality of seat boards, a plurality of seatbeard sup- 7 ports, a plurality of footboardm a plurality of footboa-rd supports, said seat board sup ports and said footboard supports each bei provided with unequal legs, and a plurah y, of bolts for securing said seat board supports and said footboard supports to adjacent stringer, said bolts being located substantially along the center lines of the respective stringers and each extending through one ofthe legs of a seat board supportandthrough one of the legs ofa footboard-support, the shorter legs of adjacent seatboardsupports and footboard supports being in overlapped relation, and the longer legs of adjacent seat board supports and footboard supports being in overlapped relation. v j

9. Portable bleachers comprising a, plurality of stringers, means for supporting said stringers in an inclined position, a plurality of seat boards, a plurality of seat board supports, a plurality of footboards, a plurality of footboard supports, saidseat aboard supports and said footboard supports eachrb'eing provided with a plurality of legs of unequal length, the legs of each footboard support being inclined at different angles, and means extending through the legs of said seat board supports. and said foot-board supports for securing said seat board supports and said footboard supports to an adjacent stringer.

10. Portable bleachers comprising a plurality ofstringers, means for supporting said stringers in aninclined position, aplurality of seat boards, a'plurality of seat board'supports, a pluralityof footboards, aplurality of footboard supports, and means forsecuring said seat board supports and said footlocking the stringers,

board supports to an ace-n t stringer, one or more of said seat board supports having adj ustably mountedthereon means for retaining a seat board in assembled position.

11. Portable bleachers comprising a plurality of stringers, means for supporting said portions embracing the adjacent seat board between them, and the said depending portions. being slotted to form an adjustable 7 connection to the adjacent seat board sup port ,12.Portable bleachers comprising a plurality of stringers respectively having slots in the lowerends thereof, ground plates for e the respective stringers, the lower enu of each stringer bearing upon one of said ground plates, means for supportmg said stringers in inclined position, and means for detachably to their respective groundplates and comprising a latch member movably connected to the ground plate and adapted to enter the slot formed in the lower end of the adjacent stringer.

13. Portable bleachers comprising'a plus rality of stringers respectively having slots in the lower ends thereof, a plurality of ground plates respectively underlying said sitringers,'the lower end of eachtof said stringers rest ng upon a correspondlng ground plate, means for supporting said stringers in an inclined position, and means for locking each of saidstringers to its ground plate, and comprising a'bearing plate rigidly secured to the ground plate and extending under the adjacent stringer, a link i movably connected to said bearing plate and adapted to enter the slot in the lowerend of the adjacent stringer, and slotted reinforcing means for the lower end of the stringer adapted to receive said link.

14. Portable bleachers comprising a plurality of stringers, ground plates for the respective stringers, means for supporting said stringers in an inclined position, and

means for detachably securing each stringer to its ground plate, sa1d last-named means comprising a link movably mounted on the ground plate and reinforcing plates secured to the adjacent stringer, said reinforcing plates being angularly slotted to provide a' shouldered slot for receiving said link.

In testimony whereofI alfix my signature.

' WILLIAM KIRTLAND EVERSOLE. 

